Vacuum cleaner



mug-2711925 VACUUM cLEA'NEn Filea Nov. 26. 19

s sheets-sheet 1 Patented Oct. 2.7',

` to suck sweepings through the nozzle andl fan-casing to dischargerfroni the latter, by?

J'Acx w. JoniNsoN, or cmcaeo,

1LLINoIsn'ssIGN/on 'ro mimo vacuum: caminan COMPANY, OF ST. CHABLES, ILLINOIS, A GOBPOBATIONOF ILLINOIS.

vacuum: cnmnnn.

appueat'ionmea November as, usas.l serial' no. 676,9.

vTo all whom-it may concern.' Y V Be it known that I, Jaen W. JonNsoN, a. citizen of the United States, residing at Chi.-

cago, in the county of Cook and State of have invented new and useful Im- Illinois, f h d o 1w 1 i provements in Vacuum Cleaners, the following is a specification.

' My invention relates to improvements in vacuum-cleaners, which IA have more especially devised or embodiment in the` type of such cleaners wherein the fan is driven.

gearing tothe fan-shaft the cleaner-carrying traction-wheels, which Aare rotated by propellin the cleaner on a floor, or acarpet or the li e thereon. myffeatures of improvement are useful as well in vacuum-.cleaners in which the fan is motor-driven, ordinarily by an electric z vmotor.

I Fig.' 5, showing a clutch-detail. c 'mp0 a er described, as an'integral whole of lightv In theaccompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of my improved vacuum-cleaner;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same; Figure 3 is a section on line 3.-.3,of Fig. 2; Figure lLisa section on the irregular line .4-'4,Fig;3;

Figure 5 'is an-enlarged section on line -Fig. 6'is an'enlarged section on line 6-6,

' tant feature of cleaner 'isthe casing, including the forwardly-extending nozzle and the rearwardly extending exhaust-outlet, all of 'whichparts 'I refer to lorm, except as to the cap' herein- I' i meuh-'preferably by casting it of aluminum.

This casting forms the fanchamber 7, o general circular shape, extending in a vertical plane; the exhaust-outlet 8 extending tangentially backward from the top of the fan-chamber, and the suction-nozzle 9 having its sides vforming, at 9, outwardly expanded cheek-portions of the side-walls of the chamber and leading forwardly from points somewhat behind the transverse cen.-

ter andextending beyond the front thereof to form the concavely curved outwardly-y 4preferably an However, certainof Inmates, as represented. The bottom of the my improved top and botsubstantially to that of other vacuum-cleanersv in. general use. A partitionv12, which vis integral part of the cast casving, 'extends from top to bottom of the nozzle at its junction with the chamber'7.

This (partition isshown (Fig. 4) in its preerre forwardly-taperingshape, the wider, inner end 4ormmg a section of the periphery of the chamber 7, whence it :tapers forwardly toward the transverse centerI of the nozzle-mouth, where it preferably teran-charnberis formed 4with a peripheral introducing and removing the fan' herein-- after described and the opening conforms to and is closed by a segment-shaped cap 7 removably fastened in place, as by screws 13 passed through ears 7c projecting centrally from the ends and sides of the cap to en#4 gage lugs 7b provided to receive the screwson the outer surface of the chamber adjacent the 'opening.` As will belseen, the cap in l-place to close` thel vertical, approximately circular ancham'berforms a segment of its periphery. From near the rea-r ends of thecheeks 9? project circularA ears V14',4 v111:' provided with openings 14* i in the lower parts vof their peripheries, these ears `affording housings for the pur ose hereinaterren-i studalihv exbalses to redisk-shaped dered apparent, vand aving tending centrally from their fiat. ceive screws 15'L for secirin :covers 15 in place to close t eA outer open ends of the housings; and open-ended sleeves A Iss' 16 project inalinementwith each other from l the cheeks 9, intol the thereof. 4

A shaft 17 is inserted lengthwise, with the parts thereon 'hereinafter described', to exfan-chamber centrally tend centrally ythrough the sleeves land chamber 7 and eccentrically through -the housings 14,.'n which the shaft-ends are shown (Fig. tobe longitudinally serrated the inner ends of the sleeves 16. Ball-bearings 22 and 23, like the ball-bearings 18 and having the ballsy riding in circumferential grooves about the shaft, carry thereon the fan at its hub, which is pinned to the cups of be rotated to rotate the brush for sweeping these ball-bearings, as shown in Fig. 5. A ball-clutch 24 (Fig. 6), of any suitable con` struction, has theba-lls confined between the member shown to be pinned to the fan-shaft at 25 in Fig. 5 and the cup 23, to engage the hubby rotating the shaft as indicated by the arrow in propelling the cleaner in the forward direction.

On' each outer side of the fan-chamber 7 a bell-crank 26 (Fig. 1) is fulcrumed at its center, the forward arm of leach belLcrank containing a slot 26, through which a screw 26b passes to limit the movement of the bellcrank on its ulcrum; and each rear bellcrank arm carries an outwardly projecting pin 27, formingy the axle of a traction-wheel 8 provided about its eriphery with a tread 28, preferably of rub r, to engagethrou h the openings 14 in the housin s 14, t e roughened ends of the fan-shaft or driving the latter.

A brush 29 is shown in Figs. 3 and 4 to be rotatably supported at its ends on journaling-screws 29 in the ends 11 of the nozzle-mouth 10; and the brush carries on its ends Wheels 29", preferably formed of soft rubber and having roughened or serratedperi heries. These wheels protrude peripheral y below the nozzle-'mouth .to contact4 with the surface being* cleaned andthereby such surfacekin propelling the cleanerthore- For o rating the'cleaner it will'be-@provided with the usualhandlehaving a forked endto embrace the casing and be pivoted on 'the studs shown'atiBO, whereon-it is contined a ainst accidental removal because ob'- structe by the'wheels 28; and the usual dust-bag will have one. end attached to the bers will' tration because their use Tis general and lwell outlet Sand its oppositeend-connected with the handle. `Showingo the handle and bag in their connection with the cleaner is omitted vfrom the drawings as being. super iiuous, since it wouldpresent no features of-'noveltf and the"functionsof `these naemreadily .understoodwithout riilusknown on vacuum-cleaners of the present class.

To operate my improved vacuum-cleaner, it is propelled back and forth in the usual manner.v The weight of the casing on the wheels 28 causes them to bear against the; roughened ends of the fan-axis 17 with sufcient pressure to rotate the shaft in `either direction, depending on the direction vof moving the cleaner. vThis pressure will not be diminished by decrease in the diameter of the wheel-treads 28", as `throu h wear, since the weight of the casing will a ways be sufficient to turn the bell-cranks 26 on their fulcrums, to the limit permitted by the pins 26b in the slots 26, for maintaining drivm contact of the traction-wheels with the sha t, which is thus driven at very high speed owing to the ratio of the gearlng of, say, 14 to 1. Y

By propelling the cleaner in the forward direction, the clutch acts to clutch the shaft 17 to the hub'20 and thereby positively drive the fan at the very high speed referred to; and on working the cleaner inl the backward direction, the clutch is released from the fan-shaft, but the fan continues by its inertia to rotate in the samedirection without diminution of the speed, until the cleaner, in its continued operation, is again propelled forwardly. The weight of the fan causes it-to -function als a ily-wheel for efect# ing its continued rot tion inthe manner'de-V l. scribed 'when the cluth is released from the fan-hub; and this w ight is augmented, .to enhance that function, b

ine

the webs 21 between the fan-blades, which, preferably ex- I tend tothe outer ends bf the latter, not only, however, for that purpose, but also to` divide the fan-blades lengthwise along their centers and duplicate the fan for .a purpose hereinafter'explained With the fan thus caused .to-rotate'. and 1 the resultant powerulsucticn exertedy through the nozzle with its mouth bearing'.Y

against the surface over. which the cleaner sweepin s if a brush 29 be employed, are

`form thereof shown 'it dividesfthe nozzle .Y

into two similagseparate and noninter'com municating passages respectivel leadnngpto.A

the passages through' the Y angchamber; formed between the'sides of the fanand the .chamber-walls, to :both of'whiclig passages the" outlet,8"is common. viding 'the fan with the-webs 21 scribed, renders it a du licate fan, gupclisec- 13b tionexerts its suctionect, at least,

on the respective passage through-the fanchamber .and that in the nozzle leading thereto, yand. thus more directly and satisfactorily. i

'I 'realize that considerable variation is possible in the details of construction herein vmay' be in my invention as fully as shown and described, and I do not intend by illustrating or describing a single speciic or preferred embodiment of my iin'- provements to be limited thereto; it`being myv intention in the following claims to claim protection for all the novelty there t e state of the art willpermit.

I claimt'r 1. A vacuum cleaner comprising a casing formed centrally with a fan chamber, a

lhorizontal axle traversing said casing, an

elongated nozzle extending'transversely of said casing adjacent said chamber, the upper and lower walls of said nozzle merg- A ing into the walls of said chamber, a .parti` tion extending fromk the forward wall of said chamber, between said upper and lower walls to a point adjacent the intake of said nozzle to provide separate passages from said nozzle to the'sides of said chamber, said chamber having inlet openings about said axle and a tangential outlet, the side Walls of said nozzle extending rearwardly in spaced ,relation to the side walls of said chamber and joining the latter partially about said inlet openings, a fan in said chamber mounted on said horizontal axle and means to drive said fan.

2. .A vacuum-cleaner comprising acasing, a fan-chamber therein, a horizontal rotatable shaft provided in said' chamber having driving surfaces on its ends, a suctionnozzle and an outlet, a fan in the chamber I having a hub'loosely surrounding the shaft,

a clutch for engaging the hub with the shaft, said fan having means in connection with the side walls of the chamber forming passages at opposite sides ofthe fan, said passages connecting saidnozzle and outlet,

and casing-carrying traction-wheels on thecas'ing to engage said driving surfaces on the fan-shaft'fqr driving it.

3. In a vacuum-cleaner, a fan-chamber having anl exhaust-outlet, a horizontal axle in said chamber a fan carried by said axle to rotate sin, a vertical plane .and having blades and means extending centrally between its blades to render it a duplicate fan,

a suction-nozzle extending from said cham- -berv and containing a partition forming separate passages in the nozzlev at opposite sides of its center,.and means for driving 4'. A vacuum-cleaner casing o'f integral formation comprising a vertical, approximately circular fan-chamber arranged with i its axis transverse to the direction of travel for housing a fan to rotate .therein about said axis, said casing having a tangential outlet extendin rearwardly from said chamber anda orwardly extending nozzle,"

and a central partition in the nozzle extending toward the mouththereof from the fan-chamber periphery land dividing said nozzle into `passages leadin to said outlet -through said chamber, said fan-chamber having an opening to facilitate insertion andvremoval of afan, and a closure for said opening. 5 5. A vacuum-cleaner comprising, in cornbination, a vertical, approximately circular. fan-chamber havin an exhaust outlet and side-'cheeks extending forwardly beyond said chamber and forming side-portions of approximately circular fan-chamber provided with an exhaust-outlet, a forward nozzle` and a. concentrically located side opening and containing a fan having a hub, a shaft carrying a yclutch-member and insertable through the side-opening in said chamber and through said hub to 'ex-tend..

centrally and rotatably in said. chamber with said clutchemember coacting with the hub to drivey the fan, means in the fanchamberfor confining the hub against lateral 'movement on the shaft, and means for driving the shaft.

A 7. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing compris-V ing a central fan chamber having Iinlet openings concentrically arranged in the central` portions of'its side walls and a tangential outlet, an elongated laterally extending suction nozzle having its upper and lower 6. In a vacuum-cleaner having a vertical, f

walls mergin into .the Walls of said chamberand its side walls extending in spaced relation tothe side *wallsl of said chamber and joining said walls in the rear of and above and below 'said inlet openings to partially enclose 'the same, hollow. bosses projecting from said enclosing walls through said inlet lopenings to receive fan bearings, said'casingjhaving an opening in its periphery, and a closure for the latter opening. f v

8. A vacuum'cleaner comprising a fan casinghaving inlets at opposite sides-thereof and having an outlet, a suction nozzle integral with. said casing having walls eX- Wzrdly beyond said bosses, a an operable tending rearwardly of and partially enclosin saidpasm mounted on said shaft, rollers ing said inlets and providing passages from n driving re ation to the ends ofsaid shaft,

the mouth of the nozzle to said inlets, nand means exterorly of Said walls'pivotally Wardly extending bosses integral with said @Opnected t0 the 016311161? and jOurnalDg Walls and entering Said inlets, a shaft jour- Sad F011%1`S- naled in said bosses and extending out- JACK JOHNSON. 

